Door check



Dec. 28, 1943. H.'M. BORDEN DOOR CHECK Filed Oct. 20, 1941 Patented Dec. 28, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ".D'QORCHECK Henry M.Bon den, Minneapolis; Minn.

. Application ctober'20, 1941, Serial No. 415,751

13 Claims.

My present invention relates to: doorchecks vintendedfor general use in checking theclosing movement .of spring-closed-.dcorsrand, morepar- .ticularly,. screen; doors.

The, objects of theinvention'are: .first..topro- 'gressively decrease the speed andforce of the closing of aspring-actuated .door; second, to provide a door check that isheldinoperative by a tion consistsof the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the-severalviews.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the-improved door check in an operative position in-a door frame, fragmentarily shownin horiizontal section, having aspring-closed screen door hinged thereto;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of .the. improved door chock, full size, attached to the head jamb of' the door with its buffer and impeller positioned. as held when the door is closed;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the'door check, as shown in Fig. 2, with some parts shown in different positions by. means of broken lines;

Fig. 4 is a viewpartly in side elevation. and partly in section taken on. theline l-fl of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4 but showing the impeller held ,inuan-operati-veposition by the buffer; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail View of the roller-equipped-end of the buffer.

'The numeral '1 indicates-2a .door frame. having a rabbeted seat Sin which:a'cscreen zdoorzevis hinged at If to sai'dframe: and yieldingly held closed by :a coiled spring H anchored to said frame and'attachedtat [2 to the 'door 9.

My improved door check .is .a self contained unit and inc1udes abracket i3yazbufier l;e.nd an impeller i5. The'bracket l3,ias'shown, is'a flat plate havingits end portionsifirst'bent later ally upwardly into parallel arrangement'to'afford side members It that space said bracket from the door frame I, and then bent outwardly to afford outturned feet [1 which bear against the under side of the head jamb ofthe frame 1 and secured thereto by screws l8. In applying the bracket I3 to the door frame \I, it is positioned thereon the proper distance, as per-zinstructions, from the-hingededge-of'the door 9 with its outer longitudinal edgeifiush withthe inn'erface ofthe rabbet 8.

Thebuffer M is a Z.-shaped lever having intermediate. section- I 9, a short innerarm 2 0 on the innerend of-said section anda long outer arm 2lfon the outer end of said section. This buifer M is pivoted to the bracket I3 atthe elbow, between .the intermediate section i9 and the short arm 20, as indicated at 22. The arms .20 and 2!. extend in opposite directionsfrom the intermediate section i9 and substantiallyat right angles thereto. The longarm 2! has an adjustable outer section 23, having on its outer end' a bifurcated bearing 24, between "the prongs (if which a rubber door-engaging roller25 is journaled. Said long arm'2l has'a channel 25' in its outer end portion in which the arm section 23 is mounted for vendwise sliding adjustment to vary the operative length of the buffer M. -A screw 21 having threaded engagement with the long arm 2! extends through a long slot'28'in the arm section 23 and rigidly but adjustably secures said section to the arm 2!. spring 29 is anchored atone end to the bracket 13, as indicated at 3B and attached at its other end of a depending lug It! on the free end of the short armZil. The spring 29 is under strain to swing the buffer M into a position, indicated by broken lines in Fig. 3, when the door 9 is open and in which position the'roller 25 is in the path of the closing movement of said door. When the door 9 is closed, the tension of the spring H is sufiicient to overcome the tension of the spring 253 and hold the buffer M positioned, as indicated by full lines in Fig. 3.

The impeller i5 is in the form of a lever comprising an inner section 32 and an outer section 33, said former section being pivoted relatively close to itsinner end to the bracket i3,.-as.indicated at 34 for horizontal swinging. movement. In thepivoted end portion of the. impeller section 32 is a channel 35. into which the inner end portion .ofthe impeller section Zikextends and is pivoted at. 361170 the side members of the channel 35 for vertical swinging movement. When the impeller section 33 is in a horizontal position,

the side members of the channel 35 rigidly hold said section for common horizontal swinging movement with theimpeller section .32. Theend portion of the impellersection 33 is bent laterally away from the rol1er-equipped end of the buffer I4. 011 the outer end of the. impeller section 33.is a bifurcated bearing 31 between the prongs of which a door-engaging rubber roller 38 is pivoted. -A coiled springtii. is anchoredat one end of the bearing l3. asindicated at 40, and

attached at its other end. to a depending lug ll on the outer end of the impeller section 32. Whenthe spring 39 is inactive, it normallyh'olds the: impeller section '32 positioned, as indicated by full. lines'inFig. 3. Normallyethe. impeller" see-'- A coiled tion 33 is gravity held in a depending position. See Figs. 2 and l.

A depending cam 42, on the pivoted end portion of the impeller section 33, is arranged to be engaged by the intermediate section E9 of the buffer l4 and lifts the impeller section 33 into an operative position as said buffer is released by the opening of the door 9 and swings outwardly into an operative position. See Figs. 4 and 5. The intermediate section 59 of the buifer M is downwardly ofiset at 63 for free horizontal swinging movement under the impeller section 32 and spring 29. See Figs. 2 and l.

The operation of the improved door check may be briefly described as follows: The door 9 being yieldingly held closed by the coiled spring H holds the buiTer I retracted, against the tension of its actuating spring 29, as indicated by full lines in Figs. 2 and 3, and the impeller section 33 is gravity held in a depending inoperative position. See Figs. 2, 3 and 4. When the door 9 is opened, pressure thereof on the roller 25 is removed and the spring 29 swing the buffer bl into an operative position, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 3, and in which position it projects horizontally into the path of the closing movement of said door. The path of movement of the door-engaging roller 25, as the buffer I l swings to or from operative positions, is indicated by the letter A. During the fina1 projecting movement of the buffer l i, as the door 9 is being opened, the cam :22 is engaged by the intermediate section :9 of said bufier and lifted into a horizontal position with its doorengaging roller 38 in the path of the closing movement of said door, as shown by broken lines in Fig. 3 and by full lines in Fig. 5. The path of movement of the door-engaging roller is indicated by the letter B, as the impeller section is lifted by the buffer i i acting on the cam 42, from a gravity-held inoperative position to an operative position. The impeller section 33 is returned to an inoperativ position, by the action of gravity. The inner face of the door, when closed, is indicated by the broken line C. See Fig. 3.

When the door 9 is released, upon the completion of its opening movement, its spring l l swings said door toward a closed position. As th door 9 approaches its closed position, it first engages the roller 25 and swings the bufier i i toward an inoperative position, against the tension of the spring 29. As the buffer i t moves with the door 9, it releases the cam 92, but before the impeller arm 33 has time to drop under the action of gravity, its roller 33 is engaged by the door 9 and thereby frictionally held and retains said arm in an operative position. The force of the closing movement of the door 9 will also swing the impeller l5 away from the buffer Hi and toward the door frame 7. This swinging movement of the impeller l5 places the spring 39 under tension and when the tension thereof is increased sulficiently to overcome the force of the closing movement of the door 9 and stop the same, the tensioned springs 29 and 99, respectively, will impart partial opening movement to the door 9. When the spring i I overcomes the force of the return opening movement of the door 9, it will again swing said door toward a closed position. During the second closing movement of the door 9, it will again engage the rollers 25 and 98, but with a diminished force and again operate the buffer I 4 and the impeller i5 and place the springs 29 and 39, respectively, under tension. The tensioned springs 29 and 39Will again impart another but slower return opening movement to the door 9 and of not such a wide extent as the first return opening movement thereof. When the tensioned spring II has overcome the force of the second return opening of the door 9, it will swing said door to a closed position and at which time the door 9 will engage the roller 25 but before it has time to engage the roller 38 due to its slowed closing movement of the door 9, the impeller arm 33 will drop by gravity and the pressure of the door 9 on the roller 25 will move the buffer I4 into an inoperative position and allow the door 9 to completely close.

In case pressure is applied to the door 9 in closing the same, the springs 29 and 39 will yield and permit the buffer [4- and the impeller Hi to move with the door 9 into inoperative position without placing undue strain on the door check.

From the above description, it is evident that my improved door check will progressively decrease the speed and the force of the closing of the door 9 and allow the same to close quietly.

From what has been said, it will be understood that the door check described is capable of modifications as to details of construction and arrangement within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a door check, a bracket applicable to a door frame having a yieldingly closed door hinged thereto, a spring-actuated buffer mounted on the bracket and normally yieldingly held in an inoperative position by the door when closed, said buffer being constructed and arranged to move into the path of the closing movement of the door when the door is opened and interrupt the closing movement of the door, an impeller mounted on the bracket for imparting return opening movement to the door at the time the closing movement thereof is interrupted by the bufier, said impeller being normally yieldingly held in an inoperative position, when the door is closed, and means actuated by the buifer during it movement to an operative position to move said impeller into an operative position.

2. In a door check, a bracket applicable to a door frame having a yieldingly closed door hinged thereto, a spring-actuated buffer mounted on the bracket and normally yieldingly held in an inoperative position by the door when closed, said buffer being constructed and arranged to move into the path of the closing movement or the door when the door is opened and interrupt the closing movement of the door, an impeller mounted on the bracket for imparting return opening movement to the door at the time the closing movement thereof is interrupted by the buffer,-

said impeller being normally gravity held in an inoperative position when the door is closed, and a cam on the impeller constructed and arranged to be engaged by the buffer during its movement to an operative position and move said impeller into an operative position.

3. In a door check, a bracket applicable to a door frame having a yieldingly closed door hinged thereto, a buiTer for interrupting the closin movement of the door, said buffer being in the form of a bell-crank fulcrumed to the bracket and having a long arm and a short arm and a spring connecting the short arm to the bracket and under strain to move the buffer and project its long arm into the path of the closin moveunent of the door, when open, said buffer being normally held in an inoperative position by the door when closed, an impeller mounted on the thereto, abuffer mounted on the bracket for automatically interrupting the closing movement of the door, and an impeller mounted on the bracket for imparting return opening movement to the door at the time the closing movement thereof is interrupted by the buffer, said impeller being in the form of a lever comprising an inner arm and an outer arm, said inner arm being fulcrumed to the bracket at its inner end portion for horizontal swinging movement, a spring connecting the inner arm at its outer end to the bracket, and a joint connecting the outer arm at its inner end to the inner end of the inner arm for common horizontal swinging movement therewith but with freedom for independent vertical swinging movement, said outer arm when the door is closed being in a vertical inoperative position, and means actuated by the buffer during its movement to an operative position for moving said outer arm from a vertical or inoperative position into a horizontal or operative position in which it extends into the path of the closing movement of the door when open.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the means actuated by the buffer is a cam on the outer arm of the impeller constructed and arranged to be engaged by the buffer.

6. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the outer arm of the impeller, when in an inoperative position, is gravity held in a depending position.

7. In a door check, a bracket applicable to a door frame having a yieldingly closed door hinged thereto, a buffer mounted on the bracket for automatically interrupting the closing movement of the door, and an impeller mounted on the bracket for imparting return opening movement to the door at the time the closing movement thereof is interrupted by the buffer, said impeller being in the form of a lever comprising an inner arm and an outer arm, said inner arm being fulcrumed to the bracket at its inner end portion for horizontal swinging movement, a spring connecting the inner arm at its outer end to the bracket, and a joint connecting the outer arm at its inner end to the inner end of the inner arm for common horizontal swinging movement therewith but with freedom for independent vertical swinging movement from a horizontal position to a depending position in which it is gravity held, said joint limiting the vertcal swinging movement of the outer arm and aligning the same with the inner arm, said outer arm when the door is closed being in a depending position, and means on the outer arm constructed and arranged to be engaged by the buffer during its movement to an operative position for lifting the outer arm into a horizontal position in which it extends in the path of the closing movement of the door when open.

8. The structure defined in claim '7 in which the outer arm when engaged by the door being held thereby is in a horizontal position and released from the door during opening movement thereof for return by gravity to an inoperative position.

9. In a door check, a bracket applicable to a door frame having a yieldingly closed door hinged thereto, a buffer mounted on the bracket for automatioally interrupting the closing movement of the door, and an impeller mounted on the bracket for imparting return opening movement to the door at the time the closing movement thereof is. interrupted by the buffer, said impeller being in the form of a lever comprising an inner arm I and an outer arm, said inner arm being fulcrumed to the bracket at its inner end portion for horizontal swinging movement, a spring connecting the inner arm at its outer end to the bracket, and a joint connecting the outer arm at its inner end to the inner end of the inner arm for common horizontal swinging movement therewith but with freedom for independent vertical swinging movement, said outer arm when the door is closed being in a vertical inoperative position, and a cam on the outer arm of the impeller, said buffer havin a section extending transversely under the impeller and arranged to engage said cam during movement of the buffer to an operative position and move the outer arm of the impeller into an operative position.

10. A check for a yieldingly closed door comprising a buffer for interrupting the closing movement of the door, said bufi'er being yieldingly held in an inoperative position by the door when closed, and an impeller for imparting return opening movement to the door when closing movement thereof is interrupted by the buffer, said impeller bein yieldingly held in an inoperative position when the door is closed, said buffer being constructed and arranged to move the impeller into an operative position, during movement of the buffer to an operativeposition when released by the opening of the door, and temporarily holding the same, said impeller having an actuating spring arranged to be placed under tension by the door during closing thereof.

11. The structure defined in claim 10 in which the door, during its closing movement temporarily holds the impeller in an operative position and releases the buffer therefrom.

12. A check for a yieldingly closed door .comprising a buffer for successively interrupting the closing movement of the door with progressively diminishingv force, said buffer being yieldingly held in an inoperative position by the door when closed, and an impeller for imparting return opening movements to the door with progressively decreasing force each time closing movement thereof is interrupted by the bufier, said impeller being yieldingly held in an inoperative position when the door is closed, said buffer being constructed and arranged to move the impeller into an operative position, during movementrof the buffer to an operative position when released by the opening of the door, and temporarily holding the same, said impeller having an actuating spring arranged to be placed under tension by the door during closing thereof.

18. The structure defined in claim 12 in which the door during its interrupted closing movements first engages the buffer and thereafter en- HENRY M. BORDEN. 

